Top priority for the middle overs

The major difference between this IPL and its previous edition has been the way teams have handled the middle overs

Shwe Wai

May 2, 2009

	Herschelle Gibbs has handled the middle overs superbly in the IPL © AFP

Traditionally, South Africa is a venue for fast bowlers: the pitches generally offer bounce, and the conditions assist swing and seam. That has been demonstrated to some extent in the ongoing IPL, with Lasith Malinga and RP Singh leading the wicket-takers' list, and some of the others enjoying the pitches too.

The major difference between this tournament and its previous edition, though, isn't the performance of teams in the first six overs. There have admittedly been several early wickets - six times the first one has fallen off the first legitimate ball, and nine times teams have lost their first wicket without a run on the board - but overall the Powerplay overs have still been reasonably productive, and the numbers aren't that different to what they were in 2008. The average runs per wicket is slightly lower, but the runs per over is almost the same.

The numbers are somewhat similar in the last six overs as well, but the big difference has been in the eight overs in the middle of the innings - from the seventh to the 14th. In 2008, the middle overs were a period when teams continued from where they had left off after the Powerplay, scoring at the same rate despite the fielders being scattered all over the park. This time, though, the pitches have offered a far greater challenge to batsmen, with the option of hitting through the line being a low-percentage one as tracks have lacked pace and have offered a fair amount of turn for the spinners. The average runs per over has dropped by almost ten - a huge difference - while the runs per over is lesser by more than one. On an average, where teams used to score 63 in the eight middle overs in 2008, they average 54 this time.